Review: Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning
By Judith MacKenzie McCuin
Wiley Publishing, 2007. Paperbound, 208 pages, $21.99.
ISBN: 0-47009-845-7
A brand new spinning book has recently hit the market. Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning is written by frequent Spin-Off contributor and well-known spinning instructor, Judith MacKenzie McCuin. This book, geared towards the new spinner, fills a hole in currently available instruction books for spinning. It provides much more information than Spin to Knit by Shannon Oakey (my review) and is much more accessible to the newer spinner than The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning. It is also readily available from bookstores for those without access to a local shop.
Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning is made up of 11 chapters coving topics from why spin to fiber to spinning on a spindle and wheel to plying and even using your handspun. There is plenty of information to get you started spinning. McCuin provides guidance on choosing a spindle or wheel to preparing fleece and shopping for prepared fibers. If you are an experienced spinner there is also information to keep you spinning, whether you wish to explore more exotic fibers or different plying techniques. The author also shares some ideas for using your handspun. There are two appendices with sources for further information and reference, including a thorough glossary and an index which makes this book easy to use as a quick reference whenever needed.
The book lives up to its name and contains copious photographs; I don’t think there are a dozen pages outside of the reference areas that do not contain a photograph and most contain three or four. The step-by-step photographs are large and clear, making it the next best thing to seeing a technique demonstrated in person. There are also many photographs of fiber and yarns. These are not as helpful as the step-by-step photos as they are not close enough to really see the structure of the yarn or fiber. I would have preferred a close look at only a small portion of a skein of yarn rather than the whole skein. Overall, that is minor flaw in the book though.
The breadth of topics in a book of this size with the large number of photographs it contains does mean many of the topics are not covered as in depth as one may want. I did not, however, find any of the topics to be missing anything that would prevent me from being successful in my spinning. In most cases the various references listed in the back of the book will provide more depth on specific topics as needed. Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning has everything needed to be off and running with spinning and keep you plenty busy exploring different aspects.
I would highly recommend Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning by Judith MacKenzie McCuin for anyone interested in spinning or new to spinning. Those who are experienced spinners may wish to check the book out from a library to see if it will fill a hole in their spinning library before buying it. As a spinner for only two years I am glad I purchased it. I think it will serve as a great reference as my spinning skills progress.
